NOTHING is left to chance in the constant strive for success and the video features prominently.

Every week the Worcester players sit down as a group or individuals to study the action from their previous game and prepare for the next opponents.

And after spending £7,000 Worcester have now taken the dissection of the game down to the minutest details.

Home matches are videoed from two angles, side-on and end-on, and the club uses the side-on version for dissection which is first loaded onto a hard disk to create digital images.

Development officer Carl Douglas and rugby administrator Tim Smith then run through the action making notes on every meaningful second with the help of super slow motion.

The notes are then broken down into separate lists for players and the action is recorded onto the players own tape.

It is an onerous task which takes a whole day, but the result means a player can study his video, either alone or with the coaches, to see why he broke through one tackle but spilt the ball in another move.

Some players use videos more than others, but Smith said it is not just used a tool to make them accountable. "It's not there to knock them it's there to help," he said.

"Les went through the tape with Jim Jenner and although he's a great ball carrier, if you make him realise where the spaces are he could be even more devastating."

Anything that gives a team an advantage cannot be overlooked but it leads to the accusation that play can become predictable. Some argue that there is a risk of players going onto the pitch worried about what they have been told in training rather than being allowed to play to their instincts and feel the game.

But Douglas believes the preparation players undertake through the video does not stifle natural talent.

"Creativity can only take place if players realise what's in front of them and players learn if they do this or that then this is how defenders react."

It is all a far cry from the five-minute team talk and half an orange preparation of the old club game, but video scrutiny is now part of a professional's life and is here to stay.

Thursday, April 6, 2000.